


Just A Reflektor (We’ve All Got Things to Hide)

by Tiny_Black_Cat



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Bonfires, Canon Autistic Character, Depression, F/F, I don't know much about Power Rangers canon, Magic, Multi, No beta we post like men, Post-Power Rangers (2017), Suicidal Thoughts, actuallyautistic, even if we're not men, trying a new thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 11:38:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18964486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiny_Black_Cat/pseuds/Tiny_Black_Cat
Summary: A new ranger appears.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so happy to finally write something that I can title with an Arcade Fire song lol

Kimberly frowned as she saw another person at her diving spot. She watched the other girl take off her shirt and look at the water below with trepidation. Then, the girl jumped.

Kim started walking the trail towards the spot the girl had dropped her shirt. When she reached the place, she saw the girl _still_  hadn’t surfaced. She bit her lip.

In one smooth motion Kimberly took off her own shirt and dove into the water. The sun was setting, casting the whole river in shadow.

Underwater, Kimberly saw the other girl. She was slowly swimming upwards. Kimberly swam towards her.

The other girl gasped for air as they both surfaced.

“Oh my god,” Kimberly said. “You’re alive. I was worried.”

The other girl looked confused for a minute, and then smiled. “No, I was just swimming.”

They treaded water.

“So, do you come here often?” Kim was stumbling over her words.

The other girl smiled. “No, I’m new around here. I’m Aliena.”

“Kimberly,” she smiled at Aliena.

“It’s really getting dark.”

Now that Aliena had pointed it out, Kimberly realized that the sunlight was all but gone. The tall pines cast the water in shadow.

“Yeah, we should probably get out.”

The two girls swam over to the rocky edge of the river. Kim got out first. She felt slightly self-conscious around the other girl; not that she felt threatened, just that she was dripping wet and only wearing a bra for a top.

“So do you go to school around here?”

Aliena pulled herself out of the water. “Uh, as of tomorrow, yes.”

“At Angel Grove High?”

“Yeah.” Aliena wrung out her hair.

The two girls walked up the hill to retrieve their shirts.

“I hope I’ll be seeing you around,” Kimberly said as she put on her shirt.

“Yeah, me too!” said Aliena.

“Do you know your way out of here?”

“I think I can find my way back.” Aliena tapped on her phone and a light appeared.

“Okay. See you around!”

“See ya!” Aliena waved, and then disappeared into the forest.

 

The purple ranger walked towards the top of the cliff. Making sure the water was beneath them, they jumped off the cliff. They used the gravity of their fall to swim through to the other side of the pool.

Once through, the ranger took in their surroundings. Holding a fireball in their hand, they walked around the cave until they found a nice cavern, unable to be seen from the spaceship or path to the pool.

They dried off and conjured up a sleeping bag. Within minutes, they were asleep.

 

After school the ranger team usually met underground. Today was no different. They met up at the cliff and all jumped together.

“Hello, rangers,” Zordon greeted them as they entered the Morphing Room.

“Hey,” a chorus of kids greeted back.

“Hey kids!” Alpha 5 greeted them.

“Let’s skip the formalities,” Zordon began. “It was no small feat to defeat Rita, but she is only the beginning of your problems. You should be training for all kinds of scenarios. Today you will - “  
He broke off as the spaceship doors opened. A girl walked through them.

Everyone was shocked into silence.

Zordon was the first to speak. “Intruder! Spaceship, execute command - “

The girl made a motion with her wrist and Zordon fell silent.

“Hi,” she said.

“Who are you?” Jason asked.

“I’m a friend.”

“How did you get in here?” Billy asked.

In response, the girl stepped forward. She stood in front of the Morphing Grid. Slowly, her arms became purple and her face became encased in a helmet.

There was a gasp. She was a power ranger.

Her helmet disappeared. “I came here the same way you all did.”

“This is impossible!” Alpha 5 said.

Kim spoke up. “I’m Kimberly,” she said. Her expression betrayed nothing. “Who are you?”

“I’m Aliena,” the ranger said. “And I was hoping to train with you. Join your team, maybe.”

Zack turned to Zordon and Alpha 5, who were not looking pleased. “Can she do that?”

“Technically, yes,” Zordon replied. “It is unheard of, but she is allowed into your team.”

“Great!” Aliena said. “Are you training tomorrow, same time?”

“Yes,” Jason said with a frown.

“Great. See you guys later!” and with that, the girl left the room, her armor disappearing from her body.

“Did that just happen?” Trini asked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains violence (for training purposes) and a quick reference to beer/underage drinking
> 
> What is gender, really?

The team was silent during their drive and walk to the spaceship.

“What do you think this girl could want?” Trini asked, quietly.

“I don’t know,” Kimberly replied.

The ranger greeted them beneath the moon pool.

“Hey.”

“Hi,” Jason said. The others waved and nodded at her.

“Let’s do this,” Zack said.

Alpha 5 summoned some putties, and the six bowed to their magic opponents.

Aliena yelled as she attacked her putty. Besides her, Billy kicked and pummeled his. Trini jumped to kick hers in the face.

“She’s pretty good,” Zack said appreciatively.

Aliena turned to him. “It’s she/they,” she said.

Zack frowned. “What?”

“She/her pronouns? They/them pronouns? You do know what pronouns are, right?”

Zack scoffed. “Of course I do. I just didn’t know you meant “they” pronouns for yourself.”

“Well, I do. She/her and they/them. No he/him. At least… I think.” Aliena frowned. “Don’t ask me about it; I have no fucking clue.”

Trini nodded.

The six resumed attack positions.

“Go!”

 

“So that was good.” Kimberly said.

“Yeah. I don’t know why we only fought the putties today, though. It’s weird,” Trini said.

“Yeah. Did I tell you I met her, before we all did?”

“What?”

“She was swimming in the river where I was. She said she was a new transfer.”

“Weird,” Trini echoed.

“I think we should have a bonfire tonight. Invite her.”

Trini was silent.

“Do you think that’s a bad idea?”

“No …” Trini spoke slowly. “It’s just strange to add another person to our dynamic.”

“Yeah. Hey guys,” Kimberly raised her voice to get everyone’s attention.

Everyone looked at her.

“Bonfire tonight?”

“I’m in,” said Billy.

“I have homework,” Jason said.

Aliena watched the others from the back of the cave.

“C’mon, Jason, it’s a Saturday. Zack?”

“I’ve got plans with my mom.”

Kimberly sighed. “You _guys_ , we haven’t done a campfire in forever. Come on. Let’s give a warm welcome to the newest ranger.”

The silence that followed that statement didn’t make the purple ranger feel any more welcome.

“Guys?” Billy asked.

“Fine,” Jason said. “I’ll bring the beer.”

Zack knew he had lost the battle.

“Let’s meet in a few hours on the top of the hill,” said Kimberly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains: alcohol, sass, Aliena's Tragic Backstory(TM), swearing, and potentially disturbing magic

“So what’s your name again?”

Zack leaned back in his chair, a beer in hand.

“Aliena."

“‘Kay”

The fire crackled.

“Are you from around here?” Jason asked.

Aliena laughed. “No, I’m from another world.”

“Another… world?”

“Yeah, another world. Have you read the Chronicles of Narnia? No? Anyway, there are other worlds. Hope that isn’t too much of a mindfuck.”

Billy frowned. “So how did you come here?”

“Magic.” Aliena extended her hand, palm out. A ball of fire appeared in her hand.

“Cut it out!” Trini said.

The fire vanished.

“Sorry, I just … that’s freaky.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Aliena said. “It was too sudden. I get that. I guess now wouldn’t be the time to mention that I can also see the future?”

“Okay, now you’re kidding me,” Zack said.

Aliena shrugged.

“Are you sure you don’t want a beer?” Kimberly asked.

“Why, are you trying to get me drunk?”

“No, I just thought -“

“It’s fine. Bad joke. Sorry. I don’t drink though.” She stared at her hands. “I like to be in control of myself as much as I can be."

“So how’s school?” she asked.

“It’s fine,” Trini said.

“Hey, weren’t you supposed to come the other day?” Kimberly asked.

“Yeah. I didn’t. I don’t need to go for credits or anything, since I’m not from here, it’s just something to kill time. And to get to know all of you guys!”

“Aw,” Billy said. “Well, you can hang with me anytime. Unless I need to do homework, that is. But otherwise.”

Aliena nodded.

“Other worlds,” Billy muttered to himself. “Hey, how’s it like where you come from?”

Aliena laughed again, bitterly. “Oh, it’s great. I have no friends, no money, no plan for my life, and abusive parents. Well, emotionally abusive. I’m autistic and there is no way I’ll be able to move out soon and start my life. I’m also gay. That was way too much, sorry y’all.”

Kimberly was staring back at her with pity. Jason and Trini had carefully blank expressions. Billy was frowning.

“Are we sleeping here tonight?” Aliena asked. “I’m kind of tired and if you keep me up any later I’ll reveal my tragic backstory. More of it, that is.”

“We have sleeping bags.” Trini said. She gestured to them. “Do we only have five though?”

“It’s fine.” Aliena waved her hand and a sleeping bag appeared, along with a pillow.

“Goodnight,” she said, laying it down and getting in.

“Goodnight.”

Jason and Kimberly stared at eachother from across the fire.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A suicide attempt (I write a lot about those)
> 
> (Probably not scientifically accurate)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains swearing (and a suicide attempt)

Aliena awoke to the cold hard ground. Her breath made plumes in the air.

She sat up. A few feet away from her, the other five slept in their sleeping bags next to eachother. Kimberly was the closest to Aliena, then Trini, Billy, Jason, and Zack. They were clearly all snuggled up close together. Aliena wondered if they had fallen asleep like that.

The sunlight was just barely making its way through the trees. Aliena let one arm morph.

She examined her fingers, noticing the way the armor was plated. She shook her arm and it melted away.

She conjured up a jacket and went walking. Soon she had arrived at the first place she had met Kimberly. She took off her jacket.

Aliena could see a thin layer of ice lining the river. Shivering, she jumped.

 

“Fucking hell! Hey guys! Guys! I found her!” she awoke to Kimberly’s yelling.

“ _Fuck you_ what happened? Take off your - we need blankets, now!”

The cold Aliena felt from having just been in water was giving way to heat. She noticed, numbly, that Kimberly was also soaked.

Kimberly lifted her arms and took off her shirt. “What the fuck happened,” she asked again. She paused for a second before hugging Aliena, her wet shirt against her bare skin. She was warm, but not enough.

“Here, I have the sleepingbags.” Jason had arrived. He draped one where Kim and Aliena stood together. “You need another to stand on.” He ran off.

Billy came running. “Is she okay? They - are they okay?”

Kimberly nodded. Billy spread the blanket on the ground.

“You know what? You need to get out of the cold, that’s what you need.”

“Can you walk?” Kimberly asked Aliena. She nodded.

They headed towards camp.

“Do we need to call someone?” Trini asked, running up to them.”

“No,” Aliena said. “I won’t - don’t. I have magic.”

“Whatever you have,” Zack had appeared, “you need to use it.”

“Cold.” Aliena shook her head.

Aliena and Kimberly were bundled into the backseat of the van. Kimberly’s teeth were chattering. She clung to the purple ranger for warmth.

Billy sat beside them. “We need to go somewhere,” he said. Zack got into the passenger seat. Jason got in the driver’s.

“Spaceship,” Aliena said. “We need to go to the spaceship." She waved her hand.

The six of them disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, reappearing in the Morphing Room.

“Alpha,” Aliena gasped. “Can we stay here? Are there rooms?”

Alpha 5 was rather shocked. “Yes, we have places to sleep. You’re here! Why are you wet?”

Aliena closed her eyes. “Sorry,” she said.

In another cloud of purple smoke she and Kimberly disappeared.

 

They reappeared in a smaller room in the spaceship. The walls were all gray and shiny. The room had two bunk beds, one on either side.

“Sorry,” Aliena said again. “I just didn’t want to deal with -“ she gestured vaguely.

She took a breath. “You’re still wet.” Aliena held her hands out, as if she was about to press them on Kimberly. Steam came off the other girl’s clothes.

After a minute, Kimberly was no longer shaking.

“Thanks,” she said. She frowned at Aliena’s hand as the ranger started to dry themself.

“You can go,” Aliena said. “I don’t mean that as a dismissal, it’s just - the door will open if you walk up to it.”

“What will you do?”

Aliena finished drying themself. “Sleep.” She waved her hand and the lower bunk of one bed had fresh sheets.

“Will you be okay?”

Aliena gave her a funny look. “Of course.”

Kimberly hesitated before walking through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you spot the reference/borrowing of magic from H2O: Just Add Water?
> 
> This is all of the fic I have so far, although I have a vague idea of how I want to end it. I may make a post/link a post here about how it would go. I had a lot of fun writing this! (Can't promise to finish it though. I'm not great at that lol.)


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